Nimbuzz 0.95.1 review

Will this instant messenger create a buzz?

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Our Verdict

Nimbuzz isn't terrible, but there's very little to recommend it over its rivals

For

VoIP and Growl support

Against

Unstable and awkward

Lacks options

New applications will inevitably get compared to the competition. But if existing rivals are of a high-enough quality, it's hard for a newcomer to make an impression. And so it is with Nimbuzz, a multiservice instant-messaging application that pales beside the superior Adium.

In use, we found Nimbuzz awkward and not entirely stable – the app crashed a couple of times during setup and didn't pick up contacts from some services until the app was restarted.

The interface, while simple on the surface, lacks options. Even rearranging groups within the contact list appears impossible, and anyone hankering after the under-the-hood flexibility of Adium will be disappointed.

Bundled VoIP and Growl support, along with the fact that it basically works, ensures Nimbuzz isn't a disaster, but we'd rather stick with Adium and Skype.

For now, Nimbuzz resembles a Mac app, but in use feels more like a clunky mobile app with many shortcomings.